Lotus driver Romain Gros-jean is aiming to build on the Enstone-based team’s points finish in the Spanish Grand Prix when they race around Monaco’s street circuit this weekend.

Up until Barcelona, Lotus had failed to register a point in the opening four races, but Grosjean’s eighth-placed finish broke the team’s duck.

He felt it was a suitable reward.

“It’s great for all the team and they certainly deserved it,” said Grosjean.

“They’ve been working very hard at Enstone and at the track and if you look at where we were in Australia and where we are now, it’s a massive step forward.

“So I’m proud and happy with what we’re doing. It was a good reward for all of us.”

Grosjean is hopeful the improvements made to the car will pay off.

He added: “The emphasis at Monaco is on low speed corners, which is not our greatest strength, but the team worked with Monaco in mind during the Barcelona test.

“Bumpy straights and a low grip surface are the other Monaco characteristics and how well you adapt can make or break your weekend.

“We’ll do our best with the set-up and of course Monaco is less engine dependent than most circuits, which is better for us.”

Grosjean concluded: “It was nice not only to score points in Barcelona, but also to be fifth on the grid after qualifying.

“If we can do that again in Monaco it’ll be very good for us.”

His teammate Pastor Maldonado will be aiming to register his first point.

Elsewhere, Eynsham’s Dave Messenger boosted his title hopes by finishing third in his class in the Alfa Romeo Championship fourth round at Donington Park.

Having finished fifth in the Class E third round earlier on, Messenger stepped up on that effort to take minor honours behind Tom Herbert and James Bishop.

Messenger lies eighth in the standings.

Meanwhile, Jordan Albert and Diego Borrelli from the Chipping Norton-based Sean Walkinshaw Racing team (SWR) finished sixth and seventh respectively in the latest round of the BRDC Formula 4 at Brands Hatch.

Beer lost an 11th place result in round five after being handed a penalty.

“It’s been a tough weekend but they did a good job overall and it was fantastic to see Diego and Jordan come thro-ugh so well to take their best finishes yet,” said boss Walkinshaw.